President's Global Seminar
 
To see full itinerary, view the Flyer - China 2020.
10/14/2020
Wednesday, October 14 ATLANTA Departure.
Morning departure on a Delta Air Lines flight to Detroit with connecting service on a Delta Air Lines flight to Beijing. Sample air schedule only. Air will be in range to confirm in early December 2019.
 
10/15/2020
Thursday, October 15 BEIJING Arrival.
Mid-afternoon arrival to Beijing Capital International Airport. Meet your local Beijing tour guide and transfer by private motorcoach to PARK PLAZA WANGFUJING or similar for check-in. Group welcome dinner at the hotel. (D)
 
10/16/2020
Friday, October 16 BEIJING.
Beijing’s history encompasses three millennia, yet the city is known as much for modern architecture as its ancient sites. Begin the day with a morning tour of the massive Tiananmen Square plaza, site of Mao Zedong’s mausoleum and the grand Forbidden City complex, the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. A group lunch is provided at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, tour the National Museum, the most inclusive museum of time-honored Chinese culture and history in the country. Experience a rickshaw ride weaving around charming streets and ancient alleys (hutongs) to see Beijing Hutong culture. Evening at leisure with dinner on own. (B,L)
 
10/17/2020
Saturday, October 17, BEIJING.
Morning departure by private motorcoach for a tour of the Great Wall (Mutianyu section), one of the best-preserved and best-known Great Wall sections with stunning scenery, round-trip cable car lift ride included. Group lunch at Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant. Return to Beijing for a traditional Peking Duck dinner at a local restaurant. (B,L,D)
 
10/18/2020
Sunday, October 18, BEIJING/XI’AN.
Morning worship service and a visit to the Yanjing Theological Seminary (pending) as arranged by Union Seminary. This is the only seminary in Beijing covering 10 provinces in north and north-west China. Afternoon transfer to Beijing Capital Airport. Say farewell to your Beijing tour guide and depart on China Eastern Airlines flight for Xi’an. Arrive early evening and meet your local Xi’an tour guide for your transfer (appx. 50 minutes) to HILTON XI’AN or similar in downtown Xi’an for check-in with a group dinner at the hotel. (B,D) Sample air schedule only
 
10/19/2020
Monday, October 19 XI’AN.
Depart early this morning for a tour of the Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting the emperor in his afterlife. Lunch and afternoon on own to explore Xi’an or spend the afternoon with your tour guide exploring the Muslim Quarter and Ancient City Wall, one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. A group dinner arranged this evening at a local restaurant. (B,D)
 
10/20/2020
Tuesday, October 20 XI’AN/GUILIN.
Morning transfer to the Xi’an Airport with lunch on own at the airport. Say farewell to your Xian tour guide and depart on a China Southern Airlines flight to Guilin. Upon early afternoon arrival to Guilin, meet your local tour guide and drive (appx. 75 minutes) to Guilin, one of the world’s most beautiful places with its karst landscapes, clean rivers, idyllic countryside, and majestic rice terraces. Proceed on a panoramic tour of Guilin to take in views from the lush hills dotting and surrounding the city, and two green rivers, the Li and ‘Peach Blossom’, running through. Time permitting, visit the Reed Flute Cave, also called the “Palace of Natural Arts”. Continue to the SHANGRI-LA HOTEL GUILIN or similar for check-in, followed by a group dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D) Sample air schedule only
 
10/21/2020
Wednesday, October 21 GUILIN/YANGSHOU.
Morning transfer to Guilin Zhujiang Pier for a half-day scenic cruise on the Li River with lunch. View gorgeous karst peaks as you float on the tranquil river. Watch water buffalo in the fields, peasants reap rice paddies and school children and fisherman float by on bamboo rafts. With its breathtaking scenery and taste of life far removed from concrete cities, the scenery along the river is one of the most magnificent in China. Upon arrival to Yangshou, transfer to ALILA HOTEL or similar for check-in and remainder of afternoon and evening free for independent exploration. (B,L)
 
10/22/2020
Thursday, October 22 YANGSHOU.
Morning cooking class at Yangshuo Cooking School with lunch. Afternoon and evening free for independent exploration, with dinner on own. Consider optional tours on own in the countryside, including possible bike rentals or a raft ride on the river. (B)
 
10/23/2020
Friday, October 23, YANGSHOU/NANJING.
Morning departure (appx. 1 hr 20 minutes) to the Guilin Airport with lunch on own at the airport. Say farewell to your Yangshou tour guide and depart early afternoon on a local flight to Nanjing. Arrive mid-afternoon into Nanjing, meet your Nanjing and Shanghai tour manager and proceed on a panoramic tour of the city. Lying on the south bank of the Yangtze River, Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, is known as the capital city of numerous dynasties in ancient Chinese history. Continue to the WESTIN HOTEL NANJING or similar for check-in followed by a group dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D) Sample air schedule only
 
10/24/2020
Saturday, October 24 NANJING/SHANGHAI.
Morning visit to the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, (pending) as arranged by Union Seminary. Time permitting, see Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum and the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre. Afternoon high speed train to Shanghai (approximately 2 hours), 1st class ticket included. Arrive into Shanghai, a city which serves as the most influential economic, financial, international trade, and cultural center in east China. Transfer to the SOFITEL SHANGHAI HYLAND or similar for check-in. Dinner on own. (B)
 
10/25/2020
Sunday, October 25 SHANGHAI.
Morning motorcoach for worship and a visit to the China Christian Council (pending) as arranged by Union Seminary. Lunch on own. Afternoon visit to the Shanghai Christian Council (pending) as arranged by Union Seminary. Evening group dinner at a local restaurant followed by the Shanghai Portman acrobatic show, an acrobatic performance using traditional folk art to tell historical tales of Shanghai. (B,D)
 
10/26/2020
Monday, October 26 SHANGHAI.
Begin the day with a local guide for a tour of the Jade Buddha Temple, This Chinese Buddhist Temple hosts two jade Buddha statues imported from Burma, along with many other cultural relics. It is a peaceful refuge from the modern bustle of Shanghai, where monks may be seen and heard conducting Buddhist ceremonies. Continue to the Yu Gardens, a classic Chinese garden containing pavilions, halls, rockeries and ponds. Enjoy a group lunch served in a traditional family style in the old city. Afternoon free for independent exploration and shopping. Farewell dinner at Xiao Nan Guo or similar. (B,L,D)
 
10/27/2020
Tuesday, October 27 SHANGHAI DEPARTURE/RETURN ATLANTA
Transfer by private motorcoach to Shanghai Pudong Airport for an early afternoon Delta Air Lines flight for Atlanta. Arrive mid-afternoon to Atlanta. (B)